Dehradun: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami paid tribute to the statehood agitators who were martyred in the Khatima and Mussoorie firing incidents, saying that the dream of Uttarakhand state became a reality because of their struggle, sacrifice and supreme sacrifice. He said the state government was fully committed to realising the vision of Uttarakhand that the martyrs had imagined.
The Chief Minister said the Khatima incident of September 1, the Mussoorie firing of September 2 and the Rampur Tiraha incident of October 2 were dark chapters in the history of the state that could never be forgotten. The sacrifice of the martyrs who laid down their lives for the creation of Uttarakhand would continue to inspire the people of the state.
He said the government had taken several important decisions for the honour and welfare of statehood agitators and their dependants. The pension for dependants of martyred statehood agitators had been increased from ₹3,000 to ₹5,500 per month.
Similarly, the pension for statehood agitators with disabilities who became completely bedridden during the movement had been increased from ₹20,000 to ₹30,000 per month. A decision had also been taken to provide medical assistants for their care.
The Chief Minister said the pension of agitators who had spent seven days in jail or had been injured during the movement had been increased from ₹6,000 to ₹7,000 per month, while the pension of other statehood agitators had been raised from ₹4,500 to ₹5,500 per month.
The Chief Minister said honouring statehood agitators and building the Uttarakhand of their dreams remained a commitment of the government. In keeping with the spirit of the martyrs’ sacrifice and the struggle of the statehood movement, the government was committed to building a strong, prosperous and self-reliant Uttarakhand.
